When People Hate You
by Warrior princess922
Summary: Charlie expected Jack to come to check on his wounds. He turned to look at the doctor, only... it wasn’t Jack, who sat down next to him... Takes place in the end of 'Fire Water'. Chana, AU.


**Title:** 'When People Hate You.'

**Chapter: **One-Shot

**Summary:** Charlie expected Jack to come to check on his wounds. He turned to look at the doctor, only… _it wasn't Jack_, who sat down next to him. Takes place in the end of 'Fire +Water'. Chana, AU.

**Rating:** K+

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Lost. Not even in my dreams.

**Dedicated to Amy for her birthday!!! Wish U all the best once again!!! Love Ya!!! :D **

Charlie Pace became an outsider. He could feel it coming, to be honest. Not that he _wanted_ it to happen… He just _knew_.

So there he was. Alone again. Staring at the ocean and sitting on the beach with bleeding cuts on his face, caused by the big fist of Locke's.

Nobody believed him. Why? The answer was simple. Because he used to be a drug addict. Yes. _Used to._

Nobody trusted him. Why? Well, that would be another 'Charlie's a junkie' statement.

He could understand Claire's disappointment. He couldn't blame her for rejecting him... But after all, she was one of those people, that he was sure would believe him. Hurley was another one. Both had rejected him. How could they think he was going to hurt Aaron? He would _never_ do that. He was trying to save him! Why didn't Claire see that? All she could see was a freaky junkie, who kidnapped her baby and tried to drown him.

Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted, as he heard somebody approaching him.

Charlie expected Jack to come to check on his wounds. He turned to look at the doctor, only… _it wasn't Jack_, who sat down next to him. And it wasn't Jack, who took out an antiseptic gauze from a bag and turned to look at his face. And it_ certainly_ wasn't Jack, who said:

"I think you need stitches."

He stared at her in surprise. She didn't notice it or ignored it. One of those.

She took out a small bottle with a transparent liquid in it and soaked the gauze with it. Then she looked at him again.

"Try to be still." She told him and put the gauze against his cut. Charlie hissed in pain, but it didn't stop him from staring at her with a mixture of dislike and confusion in his eyes.

"Why are _you_ here?" he asked her, not really trying to be polite. She didn't take any offence at his tone.

"I'm here, because nobody else wanted to." Ana Lucia told him without thinking and he felt, as her words stabbed his heart. _So what he was now an outcast of Island Society?_

"Now tell me…" She continued, not realizing yet how he must have felt after her last careless statement "Why did you take the baby? What did you want to do?"

"I don't think it's _any _of your business, y'know." Charlie said coldly and turned to look at the ocean.

"If I were you, I'd be nicer to the only person, that seems to be_ really _interested about what you were trying to do."

He snorted. Having Ana Lucia as the vote of support wouldn't help him convince his friends to anything. It would just push them away further.

Copulation of a recovering junkie and killing cop. _Wise idea_.

"Why would _you_ be interested?"

"Because I don't think a person like you could suddenly become a crazy psycho, that's why." She answered him in amused voice, though her face remained seriousness.

He glanced at her. He didn't see an unfeeling madwoman, shooting around for fun. He didn't see a tough leader of the group from tail section. He didn't see the woman, who killed Shannon.

All he saw was a lost, young Latina, that searches for somebody, who would understand her. He saw a woman, who desperately was trying to protect her people and keep them safe. He saw a beautiful and lonely girl, who was trying to help _him_.

All the words around the beach, that she was dangerous, that she didn't feel sorry, for what she had done and that she was trying to be here a new leader stopped mattering for Charlie

He knew, that Ana Lucia passed no judgment on him. She simply wanted to help.

"I started the fire." He confessed, not really knowing when the words left his mouth.

"Yeah… I know." She said with a nod, surprising him. "It's pretty obvious, Charlie." She added, noticing the look he gave her.

"I was desperate." He announced after a while "Claire wouldn't believe me."

"What were you gonna do with Aaron?" Ana asked and he was watching her carefully for a few seconds, considering, whether to tell her or not.

"I had a dream."

And he told her everything. How he saved the baby out of the ocean, how he saw his mother and Claire, as angels. How they were keep repeating, that he had to save the baby. How he suddenly woke up at the sound of Hurley's voice, realizing, that he was standing in the ocean with Aaron in his arms. And she was listening to him without questioning, interrupting or eyeing him weirdly.

"Eko assumed it's a sign, that he has to be baptized."

"So you started the fire to distract people's attention and you took the baby."

"Yes."

"Because you wanted to baptize him."

"Yes."

"Because you wanted to save him."

"Yes."

"Because nobody wanted to believe you."

"Yes!" he exclaimed, making her smirk. He never saw her smile before. She didn't look that bad after all--  
"But you didn't know it wasn't the right way to do it, did you?"

He shook his head to get rid of his thoughts.

"What?"

"Man, are you listening?" she teased, waving her hand in front of his face. He frowned and nodded.

"Okay, so here's an idea." Ana announced suddenly, making him raise his eyebrows in surprise "I will talk to Claire and I'll explain your actions."

"She won't listen to you." He protested a little bit too loud "If you haven't noticed, you're on top of everybody's hate list."

"I'm fully aware of it, Charlie, thanks a lot."

He closed his eyes for a second, regretting his words and then opened them again, sending her an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to.."

"It doesn't matter now. But what _does _matter... is for you to trust me." Ana told him, smiling lightly and Charlie yet again seemed to be captivated by her beauty.

"Don't want to be rude, but..." he began, shaking his head once again to get rid of his thoughts "... why? I mean... why... why _you_?"

"Now that's an obvious question!" She exclaimed with a serious expression on her face. "I think I'd be really pissed off if you didn't tell me _exactly_, what you meant!"

Charlie rolled his eyes with a smirk and then looked at her, the dislike in his eyes was completely gone and replaced with... what? What was he feeling for the lonely and beautiful woman?

"Why are _you _helping me?"

Ana's smile faded slowly and she looked away, staring at the ocean.

"Because I know, what it's like when people hate you." She said after a while and it was like a punch in Charlie's face.

"They don't hate me." He objected unsurely, as if he was trying to convince himself, more than her.

"It's not that bad, y'know..." she said slowly. _It is. _"Besides, you can stick with me, until they all don't start to love you again." Ana offered with a slight smirk and the Britton couldn't help, but respond with a brief chuckle.

"Actually... I think I'd like that." Charlie stated, glancing at her, feeling much better, than ten minutes ago. Can you believe it? Ana Lucia, the woman, who killed Shannon, who seemed to be a selfish, unfeeling bitch has just made Charlie Pace, an ex-junkie feel better. To bo honest, he didn't feel better... He felt _great._ As if nothing happened. As if Claire didn't kick him out. As if everybody didn't think he'd gone crazy... "Thank you, Ana." He added and he meant it. She seemed to be shocked at his last words and he could swear he had seen tears, glistening in her eyes.

"Sometimes it's nice to do something good." She responed with a thankful smile. Thankful? Yes, thankful. She was thankful, that he had given her a chance. She was thankful, that he hadn't rejected her. She was thankful, that he had let her in....

"I promise, Charlie. Everything's gonna be okay." Ana assured him, patting his shoulder friendly with a wink. He smiled back at her and nodded. _Ana Lucia was optimistic_. It sounded almost as ridiculous as 'Sawyer is gay.' ... _Almost._

"As long as I'm not alone that is."

**A/N: **Soooo.... Hope U enjoyed! :D


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